Filing device



Patented July 1, 1930 oma-inn STATES LEONARD CLAYTON RIDGE, or TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA FILING DEVICE Application filed. August 2, 926. Serial No. 126,580.

The invention relates to improvements in filing devices as described in the present specification and shown in the accompanying drawings that form apart of the same.

The invention relates to devices for the filing of office records, card indexes, papers, folders, correspondence and any other matter which is now preserved in drawers, cabinets, or desk drawers, commonly called vertical files.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple means of maintaining the contents of a filing drawer in a vertical position, without the necessity of compressing the contents by means of a compressor or follower block. I

A further object of the invention is to provide such an alternative means as can be constructed entirely of metal.

Numerous devices with the object of providing such an alternative have been produced from time to time, most of which necessitate the provision of transverse bars, or supports to the sectionalizing compartments, such supports being movable longitudinally of the compartments on trackways, rails or the like.

Difliculties in filing have arisen owing to the sectionalizing compartments being capable of excessively wideopening longitudinally, limited onlv by the full depth of the sectionalizing compartments.

The present invention aims to provide a series of compartments with adequate supports to maintain the filing matter in a vertical position and at the same time obviate the necessity of transverse bars or trackways, and also by the, use of flexible means securing together the various sectionalizing compartments at their bottoms, to limit the spreading of such compartments in relation to each other.

The invention also consists in the novel features of construction, arrangements and combinations more particularly explained in the following specification.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View through a cabinet with the compartments in side elevation, said compartments, or pockets, being in their nondistended condition.

Figure 2 is an irregular cross section'taken on the line 22 of Figure l. c

Figure 3 is a view of the under side of a portion of the device shown in Figure 1, removed from the container. p

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the device shown in Figure 3, showing a modified form of flexible connection. I

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.

Referring to thedrawings, 1 is the, file drawer, or container, which may be of any desireddesign. i

The filing compartments 2 are preferably formed by folding aisingle strip of inflexible material, preferably thin sheet metal, to provide vertical V-shaped pockets positioned one behind the other and adapted to rest loosely on the bottom of the container and not being secured to said container at any point, this methodof constructionprm vi'ding for a rigid connection between the adjacent walls of each compartment at the top but permitting of 'movement of the bottoms of said compartments in relation -to each other longitudinally of the container, which movement is essential to the efliciency' of the device. i

The side walls of each of the compartments 2 are scored, orotherwise weakened, at equal distances from, and parallel to, the bottom fold 3, as at 4 to permit of the expansion of the. compartments to meet requirements due to increase in the quantity of filed matter. I i

In order to preserve the proper vertical relationship between the compartments and at the same time to permit of the necessary elasticity a flexible connection is provided between adjacent compartments at the bottom s thereof which effectually limits the spread of the bottoms of the compartments in'relation to each other and prevents the compartmentsfrom assuming a leaning position.

The particular method or design of con- 1 struction of this fiexibleconnection does not constitute the essential feature of the present inventionand this connnection may take the form of two, or. more, strips 5 of tape, or other like material, extended longitudr nally of the device along the bottom thereof at each side and connected to the respective compartments at 1 regular intervals along its surface by means of fasteners 6 pro ected therethrough' and through the transverse i centres of the bottoms of. saidicompartnients,

or, a single'element may be employed, such as a chain 'Z'carrymg transversely arranged bars 8 at regular intervals therealong adapted to be projected through openings in the bottoms of said compartments, j in which case it is. preferable to employ" but one connecting element and to position same in the transverse centre of the container so that the slack portions of said chain may nets'are provided.

rest in the channel 9; with which such cabi- In the use of-lthis 'invention the matter to be filedisplaced in'the desired compart- "nie'nt, the bottom'of which, as the contents of the; compartment increase in transverse proportions, expands to meetthe require- Inents owing to "the walls thereof bein scored parallel with the bottom foldthereoi and while the lower portions of the compartments are tree to move towards and away from. each other the distance necessary in the operationjofthe device this moves ment limited by theffiexible connections between the bottoms o'fthe compartments,

It will thus "be apparent that this construction provides a filing device which can be used conveniently on a desk, or elsewhere,

; withoutthe employment of an enclosing contents in an 11pIlgl1l3 CO1ldltl0Il' and the ns will effectually prevent I filing device including a container, a

plurality of parallel transverse pockets arranged in the container in connected relaytion, each pocket being open at its upper end and closed at its l owerend; the upper ends of the respective pockets being con-,

nectedone tothe other, the closed lower ends of the pockets being spaced apart, and lneai s 'connecting' the lower closed ends of the pockets to maintain the pockets in substantially vertical. position in the container without interfering with the normal'spread of, the pockets under the introduction 0t 5 material therein;

32; A filingdeviCe sanding a'conain r,

arplurality o ffp'ockets arranged in the con-o tainer, each pocket being-open at, its upper =-end and, closed at its lower fend, the ad jacent walls of successive pockets being connected atthelr upper'endsto maintain a sub- I stantially ri id pocket formation at the upper end, and a flexible element connectlng the lower ends of the pockets to maintaln said pockets substantially vertically in the container without interfering with the application of material within the pockets.

Signed at Toronto, Ont, this 29th day of July, 1926. v I r o 'L. CLAYTON'BIDGE. 

